World Athletics President Sebastian Coe believes the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee will be exhausted ©Getty Images

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has warned the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee against what could be a "perfect storm" of exhaustion and disappointment following the postponement of the Games until next summer.

During a call with African and European media, Coe - who was President of the London 2012 Organising Committee - was asked by insidethegames what he would regard as the most pressing issues facing Tokyo 2020 leaders.

"There is a myriad of considerations to take on board," he replied.

"Whether it’s about mothballing venues, whether it’s about the sales of some of those venues - the anchor tenants that have been agreed, which good Organising Committees tend to have in place for that.

"And the very nature of the Athletes' Village, being put back into consumption, whether commercially or publicly.

"Those are all the things that they will be dealing with now, along with broadcasts, broadcast rights, sponsorships…

"But there is one thing I hope people recognise, which is that by the time you get to the end of that seven-year journey your teams are running on empty.

"And that includes the President right the way down through the organisation."

"So I am hoping there is recognition that there is exhaustion suffused with massive disappointment that this decision had to be taken."

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has spoken of the need to monitor morale among Tokyo 2020 staff following the postponement of the Games until next summer ©Getty Images
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has spoken of the need to monitor morale among  Tokyo 2020 staff following the postponement of the Games until next summer ©Getty Images

Coe was speaking after Tokyo 2020 has been postponed until next year but before new dates has been confirmed.

The Opening Ceremony is now scheduled for July 23 in 2021.

The World Athletics Championships, which were scheduled for 2021, will now take place in 2022.

Coe believes giving those working on the rescheduled Olympics a chance to refresh will now be crucial.

"It was the right decision - nobody is questioning it - but if I was head of the Organising Committee in these sort of circumstances I would be wanting to take away some of the exhaustion on behalf of my team before they re-gathered for yet another year of delivery", he explained.

"I think that would be uppermost in my concern at the moment - just managing the disappointment and the exhaustion, all coming together in what could be a perfect storm.

"I’m sure the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee will be thinking about that. 

"It’s just the sheer weight of effort that goes into getting the point of being within 100 or so days before a Games."

For the full story and expert reactions to Tokyo 2020’s new task, go to the Big Read.